Laviai Nielsen fuelled by inspirational Femke Bol world record

By James Reid in Glasgow

Laviai Nielsen vowed to use the experience of racing world record breaker Femke Bol as fuel for her own ambitions.

Nielsen set a new personal best of 50.89 seconds to finish fourth in the 400m, as Bol broke the indoor world record with a time of 49.17 seconds to add further sparkle to an electric evening in Glasgow, that also saw home hero Josh Kerr clinch 3000m gold.

It was a Dutch one-two on the podium, as Bol took gold ahead of compatriot Lieke Klaver with American Alexis Holmes winning bronze, but Nielsen revealed she was taking plenty of positives despite narrowly missing out on a first individual world medal.

"I have never been in a world record race before," she said. "It was so fast, I couldn't believe how close I was to them at the break.

"I am so proud of how I ran that race. I knew from lane two, everyone would be coming in and I just wanted to hold that inside line. There was a battle at the break but I did so well to just try and stay.

“Before the championship, I had actually never raced Femke Bol but it is just amazing to be amongst the mix of a world class athlete like that. She is an incredible athlete and to finish only a few places behind her bodes really well.

"I am very hungry now. I think that's the third time I have finished in fourth place but that is the least painful as I honestly don’t think I could have ran faster than that, I left everything out there.”

Nielsen goes again on Sunday in the 4x400m relay, where she will team up with sister Lina as Great Britain look to follow up the world bronze medal they won outdoors in Budapest last summer.

Bol will once again be favourite for gold with her Dutch quartet but Nielsen is hopeful her team can produce a roar from the home crowd similar to the one they delivered on Saturday night for Kerr and fellow British gold medallist Molly Caudery, who won the women's pole vault.

A medal would also cap off a memorable championships for Nielsen, who was named British team captain for the weekend.

"The championships has been so warm, so welcoming, it is always nice competing so close to home," she said.

"It gives you that sense of familiarity. Sometimes when you go abroad it is so scary and so new but this was a lovely experience.

"To be nominated as team captain shows you have that experience, knowledge and some success on your side, and so it really gave me a sense that I belong here. It gave me a bit of a lift."

The world’s best athletes head to Scotland for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 from 1-3 March and you can keep up to date with the latest on the World Athletics website, its associated platforms and via broadcasters around the world.